Branching Out: Carnarvon Community College Program
TLG Tutors and Coordinators posing with the ‘Big Dish’ at Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum.
Welcome back to the TLG Leaflet! 2021 is a time for new beginnings, and we are looking forward to sharing with you the wonderful news that comes out of Teach Learn Grow. Our first story of the year is about a brand new TLG program at Carnarvon that took place at the end of Term 4. The school’s last TLG program was in 2015 and we are excited to renew our relationship with the school.
At the end of November, a dedicated group of 15 TLG tutors and two coordinators travelled by bus to Carnarvon Community College. Located almost 900km north from Perth, the journey took nearly two days, with a pit stop in Geraldton for the group to rest overnight. For the following week these volunteers spent their days tutoring the students at the school on individualised mathematics outcomes, playing games with the students during recess and lunch, as well as exploring the amazing sights Carnarvon has to offer, such as the Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum. Each night the tutors stayed in the school’s performing art’s centre, playing their music over the audio system and lesson planning for the following day.
Yuval Berman, one of the TLG Executive members who led the Logistics team in organising the Carnarvon Rural Program, had the privilege of co-coordinating it. He said that while there are always challenges, the students soon warmed up to the tutors and made important progress throughout the week. “The students were great!” Yuval enthused. “Some were shy to begin with, but every tutor made significant progress and bonded closely with the kids.”
By the end of the week, the students had developed strong relationships with their TLG tutors, engaged with maths and mentorship activities, and were awarded personalised certificates. “A new program always has its challenges,” commented Yuval, “but I feel that the tutors were able to really connect with the students and leave a lasting impact. The school loved having us there and I feel TLG is well set up for an ongoing new relationship with Carnarvon!”
We would like to thank everyone who made the program possible, including the members of the Rotary Club of the Batavia Coast who drove the bus to Carnarvon and found accommodation for the tutors in Geraldton, as well as all of the staff at Carnarvon Community College that went out of their way to welcome and accommodate TLG. We are especially grateful to Deputy Principal Lisa Coon who helped institute the program, with Yuval saying “[She] was awesome in how organised she was and how welcome she made us feel.”
TLG is looking forward to returning to Carnarvon during the winter Rural Program and continuing to develop a lasting partnership with the staff and students of Carnarvon Community College.
Students and TLG Tutors at Carnarvon Community College. Photo credit: Yuval Berman
TLG tutor Chloe with Carnarvon student after handing out certificates at the end of the week